Hybrid attention-based deep neural networks for short-term wind power forecasting using meteorological data in desert regions

Sci Rep. 2024 Sep 19;14(1):21842. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-73076-6.

Abstract

This study introduces an optimized hybrid deep learning approach that leverages meteorological data to improve short-term wind energy forecasting in desert regions. Over a year, various machine learning and deep learning models have been tested across different wind speed categories, with multiple performance metrics used for evaluation. Hyperparameter optimization for the LSTM and Conv-Dual Attention Long Short-Term Memory (Conv-DA-LSTM) architectures was performed. A comparison of the techniques indicates that the deep learning methods consistently outperform the classical techniques, with Conv-DA-LSTM yielding the best overall performance with a clear margin. This method obtained the lowest error rates (RMSE: 71.866) and the highest level of accuracy (R2: 0.93). The optimization clearly works for higher wind speeds, achieving a remarkable improvement of 22.9%. When we look at the monthly performance, all the months presented at least some level of consistent enhancement (RRMSE reductions from 1.6 to 10.2%). These findings highlight the potential of advanced deep learning techniques in enhancing wind energy forecasting accuracy, particularly in challenging desert environments. The hybrid method developed in this study presents a promising direction for improving renewable energy management. This allows for more efficient resource allocation and improves wind resource predictability.

Keywords: Attention mechanism; Convolutional neural network; Energy transition; Hybrid deep learning; Hyperparameter optimization; Long short-term memory; Renewable energy; Wind energy; Wind power forecasting.